In the canning industry, it is often desired to fill a can with liquid. The liquid may constitute the sole contents of the can (e.g., broth, juice and the like), or may be in the form of a brine or sauce to cover other food products placed therein.
Heretofore, it has been known to fill such cans individually by positioning a discharge nozzle in the open mouth of the can, and then discharging a measured amount of fluid therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,720 appears to disclose a device for filling containers by passing a continuous moving single-file row of series-abutting containers under a continuous stream of falling liquid. Liquid is supplied to a tank, is caused to overflow a weir, and descends along an inclined path in the form of a continuous falling sheet of liquid. A row of juxtapositioned open-top containers (i.e., cans, bottles or the like) are moved beneath the plate, and are caused to translate the length of the liquid sheet. Thus, containers are filled with liquid as they are moved beneath the sheet. However, this patent specifically contemplates that the containers should be deliberately overfilled with liquid, and that air jets be directed at or around the outer surface of the container immediately below its open mouth. The avowed purpose of these air jets is to direct and deflect overflowing liquid away from the cans so as to avoid contaminating the outer surfaces thereof with excess liquid.
While this system may provide a means for filling containers, it has been Applicant's experience that it involves unnecessary structure or steps, namely, that the air jets and the function thereof can be eliminated altogether if the falling liquid sheet is appropriately sized with respect to the containers, and if the translational speed of the containers is appropriately related to the transverse cross-sectional dimensions of the liquid sheet.